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Background:
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Although
discovered by the Dutch and the British in the 17th and
18th centuries, it was the French who declared a
protectorate over the islands in 1842. In 1959, the
inhabitants of the islands voted to become a French
overseas territory. |
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Location:
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Oceania,
islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of
the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
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Geographic coordinates:
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13 18 S,
176 12 W |
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Map references:
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Oceania
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Area:
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total:
274 sq km
land: 274 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile
Futuna (Futuna Island), Ile Alofi, and 20 islets |
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Area - comparative:
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1.5 times
the size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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129 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
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Climate:
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tropical;
hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season
(May to October); rains 2,500-3,000 mm per year (80%
humidity); average temperature 26.6 degrees C |
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Terrain:
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volcanic
origin; low hills |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Singavi 765 m |
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Natural resources:
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NEGL |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 5%
permanent crops: 25%
other: 70% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km
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Natural hazards:
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NA |
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation (only small portions of the original
forests remain) largely as a result of the continued use
of wood as the main fuel source; as a consequence of
cutting down the forests, the mountainous terrain of
Futuna is particularly prone to erosion; there are no
permanent settlements on Alofi because of the lack of
natural fresh water resources |
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Geography - note:
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both
island groups have fringing reefs |
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Population:
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16,025
(July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA |
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Population growth rate:
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NA% |
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Birth rate:
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NA
births/1,000 population |
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Death rate:
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NA
deaths/1,000 population |
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Net migration rate:
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NA
migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: there has been steady emigration from
Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2005 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
NA
male: NA
female: NA |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years |
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Total fertility rate:
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NA
children born/woman |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA% |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders
adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and
Futuna Islander |
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Ethnic groups:
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Polynesian |
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Religions:
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Roman
Catholic 99%, other 1% |
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Languages:
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Wallisian
58.9% (indigenous Polynesian language), Futunian 30.1%,
French 10.8%, other 0.2% (2003 census) |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 50%
male: 50%
female: 50% (1969 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Territory of the Wallis and
Futuna Islands
conventional short form: Wallis and Futuna
local long form: Territoire des Iles Wallis et
Futuna
local short form: Wallis et Futuna |
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Dependency status:
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overseas
territory of France |
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Government type:
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NA |
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Capital:
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Mata-Utu
(on Ile Uvea) |
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Administrative divisions:
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none
(overseas territory of France); there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US
Government, but there are three kingdoms at the second
order named Alo, Sigave, Wallis |
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Independence:
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none
(overseas territory of France) |
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National holiday:
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Bastille
Day, 14 July (1789) |
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Constitution:
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4 October
1958 (French Constitution) |
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Legal system:
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French
legal system |
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Suffrage:
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18 years
of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief
of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since
17 May 1995), represented by High Administrator Xavier
DE FURST (since 18 January 2005)
head of government: President of the Territorial
Assembly Patalione KANIMOA (since NA January 2001)
cabinet: Council of the Territory consists of
three kings and three members appointed by the high
administrator on the advice of the Territorial Assembly
note: there are three traditional kings with
limited powers
elections: French president elected by popular
vote for a five-year term; high administrator appointed
by the French president on the advice of the French
Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the
Territorial Government and the Territorial Assembly are
elected by the members of the assembly |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee
Territoriale (20 seats; members are elected by popular
vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 11 March 2002 (next to be
held March 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - RPR and affiliates 13, Socialists and
affiliates 7
note: Wallis and Futuna elects one senator to the
French Senate and one deputy to the French National
Assembly; French Senate - elections last held 27
September 1998 (next to be held by September 2007);
results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats - RPR
(now UMP) 1; French National Assembly - elections last
held 16 June 2002 (next to be held by NA 2007); results
- percent of vote by party - NA%; seats - RPR (UMP) 1
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Judicial branch:
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none;
justice generally administered under French law by the
high administrator, but the three traditional kings
administer customary law and there is a magistrate in
Mata-Utu |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Lua Kae
Tahi (Giscardians) [leader NA]; Mouvement des Radicaux
de Gauche or MRG [leader NA]; Rally for the Republic or
RPR [Clovis LOGOLOGOFOLAU]; Taumu'a Lelei [Soane Muni
UHILA]; Union Populaire Locale or UPL [Falakiko GATA];
Union Pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF [leader NA]
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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FZ, UPU
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none
(overseas territory of France) |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none
(overseas territory of France) |
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Flag description:
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a large
white modified Maltese cross - shifted a little off
center toward the fly and slightly downward - on a red
background; the flag of France outlined in white on two
sides is in the upper hoist quadrant; the flag of France
is used for official occasions |
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Economy - overview:
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The
economy is limited to traditional subsistence
agriculture, with about 80% labor force earnings from
agriculture (coconuts and vegetables), livestock (mostly
pigs), and fishing. About 4% of the population is
employed in government. Revenues come from French
Government subsidies, licensing of fishing rights to
Japan and South Korea, import taxes, and remittances
from expatriate workers in New Caledonia. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$60
million (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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NA% |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $3,800 (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA% |
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Labor force:
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NA |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture, livestock, and fishing 80%, government 4%
(2001 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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NA% |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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NA% |
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Budget:
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revenues: $20 million
expenditures: $17 million, including capital
expenditures of NA (1998 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats |
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Industries:
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copra,
handicrafts, fishing, lumber |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA% |
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Electricity - production:
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NA kWh
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 0%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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NA kWh
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh
(2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh
(2002) |
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Exports:
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$250,000
f.o.b. (1999) |
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Exports - commodities:
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copra,
chemicals, construction materials |
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Exports - partners:
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Italy
40%, Croatia 15%, US 14%, Denmark 13% |
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Imports:
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$300,000
f.o.b. (1999) |
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Imports - commodities:
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chemicals, machinery, passenger ships, consumer goods
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Imports - partners:
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France
97%, Australia 2%, New Zealand 1% |
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Debt - external:
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$NA |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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assistance from France |
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Currency (code):
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Comptoirs
Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF) |
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Currency code:
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XPF |
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Exchange rates:
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Comptoirs
Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 96.04
(2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002), 133.26 (2001),
129.43 (2000) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar
year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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1,900
(2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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0 (1994)
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 681 |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 1, FM
0, shortwave 0 (2000) |
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Radios:
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NA |
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Television broadcast stations:
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2 (2000)
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Televisions:
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NA |
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Internet country code:
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.wf |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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1 (2000)
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Internet users:
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900
(2002) |
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Highways:
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total:
120 km (Ile Uvea 100 km, Ile Futuna 20 km)
paved: 16 km (all on Ile Uvea)
unpaved: 104 km (Ile Uvea 84 km, Ile Futuna 20
km) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Leava,
Mata-Utu |
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Merchant marine:
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total:
4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 74,754 GRT/1,187 DWT
by type: passenger 4
foreign-owned: 4 (France 3, United States 1)
(2005) |
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Airports:
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2 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
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Military - note:
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defense
is the responsibility of France |
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Disputes - international:
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none |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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